The International Builders’ Show returned to the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., for the last time (see you in Vegas next year), drawing more than 1,700 exhibiting vendors and thousands of housing professionals.
As part of the show, the National Association of Home Builders holds its annual Best of IBS awards program, in which exhibitors can submit products for a chance to be named a Best of IBS award recipient.
During the 2026 show, NAHB received 300 entries across its nine product categories. Winners were selected by a panel of 42 housing industry professionals and media representatives, including two of our own editors.
In the end, eight products—with one recognized by two categories—took home awards:
Best Energy Efficient Product
The SPAN Panel MLO 24 brings a smart approach to residential energy management. The electrical panel provides circuit-level energy monitoring and control, giving homeowners detailed insights into how power is used throughout the home.
With the company’s PowerUp integrated energy management software, the panel helps optimize electrical loads and can help homeowners avoid costly service upgrades. When paired with battery storage, the system enables customizable whole-home backup and can extend backup duration by up to 40% by prioritizing essential circuits, according to SPAN.
Best Business Solution Software
Adaptive’s AI-powered financial operations platform is designed specifically for construction companies, helping streamline billing, approvals, payments, and other critical processes. Unlike traditional systems that simply add automation to manual processes, Adaptive places artificial intelligence at the core of its platform, the company says, providing real-time financial visibility intended to protect profit margins and support scalable growth.
Best Home Technology Product
The Liv EZ Filtered Water Dispenser from Zurn's Elkay Water Solutions brand brings commercial-grade water filtration system to the residential market. The product is already widely used in high-traffic commercial environments, such as airports and schools, but is now being delivered in a design suitable for the home.
According to the company, the system is third-party certified to reduce contaminants, including lead and microplastics, and its in-wall design integrates easily with most home interiors.
Best Kitchen and Bath Product
The Martel collection of extruded porcelain tile from E by Emser Tile features a scalloped shape and specialized glaze intended to give each tile a handcrafted look. Inspired by the natural rhythm of the sea and earth, the Martel collection is available in four neutral shades. The tile is available in both 2-by-2-inch and 4-by-4-inch formats, offering installers greater design flexibility.
Best Indoor Product
FloodSmart from Pro-Flash Building Products is a smart monitoring system designed to help homeowners detect and respond quickly to potential water damage. The system uses compact sensors that can be installed in tight spaces under sinks, near toilets, around hot water tanks, washing machines, and in basements; when a leak is detected, the sensors trigger an alarm and/or activate a water shutoff.
The system’s Flood Smart Valve mounts directly to a home’s mainline backwater valve, monitoring for sewer backups and alerting homeowners if the valve experiences a blockage or reverse flow. When a backup is detected, the system can automatically activate the home’s shutoff valve, preventing additional water from being used inside the house and reducing the risk of self-flooding.
Best Outdoor Product
Aquor Water System’s Aquor Hot + Cold Residential Mixing Valve pairs with the company’s House Hydrant V1+ and V2+ systems, giving homeowners access to tempered water outdoors or in garages. By connecting both hot and cold plumbing lines, the valve converts a standard single-temperature hydrant into a temperature-adjustable fixture.
Users can easily regulate water temperature using the valve’s control knob, enabling warm water for everyday tasks such as pet baths, car washing, outdoor showers, and general cleanup.
The mixing valve supports PEX A and PEX B plumbing connections and is available with straight or elbow rear body configurations, offering four orientation options per inlet type to accommodate different installation needs.
Best Window and Door Product
The Avante C-Power Garage Door from Clopay uses the company’s proprietary Click to Conceal technology, allowing its smart glass panels to shift from transparent to opaque with the click of a button. The system is designed for homeowners who use their garage as a flexible living area or want a stronger connection between indoor and outdoor spaces, providing natural light and clear views when open visibility is preferred, then quickly transitioning to privacy mode when needed.
Most Innovative Building Material / Most Innovative Construction Tool
Muddskip took top honors in both the Most Innovative Building Material and Most Innovative Construction Tool categories.
The company’s drywall additive is designed to accelerate the wall finishing process. Compatible with both dry-mix and premixed joint compounds, the product transforms traditional drywall mud into a more pliable material that can be used to tape and bed seams, float walls, and complete finishing coats all in the same day, without the need for a bonder or sanding between layers.
Once mixed, the compound becomes plaster-like in both appearance and performance while maintaining the workability of drywall mud. It can be applied to drywall boards and a variety of other substrates using rollers, blades, or trowels.
About the Author
Catherine Sweeney
Catherine Sweeney is the associate editor for Pro Builder and Custom Builder, where she creates both digital and print content, including Pro Builder’s daily e-newsletter and various news stories for both brands. Before joining Endeavor, she began her career in local journalism, later pivoting to the commercial real estate industry where she worked for several years as a reporter and editor.